When Silence Is Loudest chapter 24
Of course soldier morale was low.
Soundwave would've thought Starscream was an idiot for expecting it not to be, if it wasn't for his grieving spark.
Megatron had to have lived!
Somehow someway.
And the colors blurred and settled again.
Megatron could see how hard Soundwave was trying to rein his fury at Starscream.
The communication officer was surprised at the vehicon's timid voice questioning their chances at conquering Earth. But no less approved of it.
Another speech saying how he's the leader of the Decepticons now. How tedious.
He was glad the vehicons didn't seem convinced.
And Starscream always talks to himself.
This was even more of a bad idea with Soundwave right behind you.
The SIC lacked all common sense.
The memory changed.
Soundwave was terribly bored as his built-in satellite searched for Skyquake. And angry.
The TIC was just generally angry at Starscream now.
Megatron could very easily tell.
An echoing beeping noise.
"What do you mean you pinpoint his location?! I know we are close boost the power to your sensors!"
Then they found it.
Both mechs transformed and flew to their next location.
After pulling the stasis container out and putting the energon cube in the two Decepticons waited as the lights began to dim.
Skyquake's position on Starscream's new role in the Decepticon Cause was the same as the vehicons'. He was terribly inadequate for the position.
Soundwave made no move to rescue Starscream from Skyquake's intimidation method.
He was half glad Optimus Prime arrived.
"-if you were willing to bow before me."
"This again? Bow to this!" Skyquake said before hitting Starscream hard enough for him to crash into the mountainside.
Soundwave barely kept himself from laughing and recorded the incident.
The SIC (Soundwave refused to acknowledge him as Lord) flew off and landed on the rock the TIC was standing on.
And talking to himself again.
Soundwave recorded the battle.
"Do not miss a single moment Soundwave! We shall need visual documentation of Optimus Prime's demise. For the historical record."
After Prime and the scout fell back Soundwave lost track of them. Because he'd only obey Starscream's orders half-afted.
And then he found another Decepticon life signal.
And it could only be Megatron's.
The actual Megatron smirked as he remembered how he cheated death.
Starscream tried to deny it the best he could without being suspicious (he failed at that) but relented.
'Oh how he loves dramatics' Megatron thought as Soundwave looked at Starscream's retreating alt-mode.
"Must bear witness." The recording of the SIC's last statement said and Laserbeak was detached from Soundwave's chest.
He continued to record the battle.
The human named Agent Fowler let Skyquake scan his jet.
Soundwave rolled his optics at the human's poor decision.
Then it switched to Laserbeak's memories.
All she saw was Starscream over Megatron in a suspicious way and hiding something behind his back.
And then it switched back to his Soundwave.
The communication officer couldn't help be impressed by Bumblebee's strategy.
He has grudgingly respected the young scout for a while now.
Soundwave looked on as Prime and Bumblebee stood around Skyquake's body and even as they buried it.
The scene changed.
Starscream was talking again.
Soundwave looked at Megatron's as the life support system beeped on.
When the SIC left the med-bay the TIC wrapped his arms around Megatron's right one, and rested his forehead there, letting himself have this one moment of weakness.
He spoke.
"I promise."
Megatron didn't need to know what Soundwave was promising.
He already knew.
The colors blurred.
Soundwave played the recording of the intermission and found the basic information about 'Wheeljack'.
The TIC was fond of Makeshift. Quiet and loyal. Megatron remembered when Soundwave jokingly said 'just his type'.
The switch with Makeshift and Wheeljack was both easy and hard. But all-in-all successful.
Soundwave listened to Starscream's talk again.
He was staring at him in a 'You're an idiot' way as they walked to brig.
Wheeljack easily angered Starscream.
And Soundwave stopped him from destroying a valuable asset.
The SIC was talking again.
The scene shifts.
Makeshift hasn't obtained the information yet.
More time passes.
Soundwave doesn't even know of Wheeljack's escape until the Wreaker was facing them on the flight deck.
How stupidly brave.
As Wheeljack faced the vehicons Megatron realized something.
Soundwave was following the SIC like a shadow. The warlord smirked.
The groundbridge opened but disappeared before the vehicons could get though.
Then opened again and Starscream got Makeshift-disguised-as-Wheeljack to the face.
He laughed.
Then Makeshift and several vehicons were destroyed.
"MAKESHIFT YOU FOOL!"
The colors blurred.
"5 miles south you will reach the rendezvous point."
Starscream's plan was actually pretty sound.
Not that Soundwave or Megatron would ever admit that.
After the vehicons left Soundwave still stood around Starscream, no doubt making faces underneath the mask.
If only the plan didn't fail.
The colors blurred.
Soundwave almost let out an audible sigh of relief when Knockout finally arrived.
Said medic looked very surprised at Megatron's condition.
But just their luck the medic that they acquired was 'better at breaking them than fixing them' and his assistant wasn't there.
At least he was on his way.
After Breakdown arrived on the Warship he filled them in on what transpired and quickly found the energon harvester.
"That's defiantly it." Breakdown said as he looked away from the image on Soundwave's visor.
"Then I'm afraid Megatron's well-being will have to wait. Its harvest time." Starscream said.
Soundwave would've loved to punch him in that moment.
The scene shifted.
When the TIC was walking to the back entrance he wasn't expecting the human children.
"Arcee!" the black-haired one called when the door opened enough to reveal his legs.
Both Megatron and Soundwave sputtered in shock for a second, one's reaction more obvious than the others, and whatever minuscule grudging respect the 'future' honorary Prime earned from Megatron was gone.
Soundwave knelt and opened the door completely.
He was tempted to say 'Surprise carrierfraggers!'.
"It's Soundwave!"
Megatron rolled his optics.
The TIC easily grabbed the harvester and flew away.
The scene shifted.
Soundwave was on the Warship when he heard Bulkhead destroyed the energon harvester.
"Isn't that just grand." He said running his hand over his facemask breaking his silence momentarily.
The colors blurred and shifted.
Soundwave was neutral on Knockout's street racing habit.
As long as it didn't affect Megatron's healing.
But he was only looking a little better.
The SIC may act all concerned about Megatron's well-being, but Starscream was only concerned about one thing.
Making sure his 'rule' isn't threatened by his return.
Megatron sneered as he watched the scene.
The scene shifted.
Starscream knew he didn't have as much power as he would've liked.
Soundwave was not in an obvious place.
"Knockout was I not clear?! You have defied my orders yet again!"
"My mistake, Commander Starscream. But I have learned my lesson. And paid the price." Knockout said gently grabbing his doorless arm. And completely missed Starscream's furious shaking.
"It is LORD! And you have paid when I say you have paid!" Starscream stated as he walked into Knockout's personal space and held out his claw. "Do not worry, your punishment shall merely be…cosmetic."
"No, not the finish, anything but the finish! AAAAAGHHHHHHH!"
Breakdown could only cringe.
The colors blurred.
It was quiet, for the Decepticons.
Soundwave stood in front of Megatron's mostly dead body.
He was just talking.
Mostly about the happenings of the Decepticons and the poor job Starscream is doing as leader.
"You better come back soon or I'm going to lose my mind." He stated with a sad smile on his face under his mask.
He gently lifted Megatron's left hand and fondled it.
"I can't do it by myself so you have to help me. Please."